Abstract
In this well-known verse from the prologue of the Shahnameh, regarding the stature of humankind, "نخستینت فکرت، پسینت شمار/ تو مر خویشتن را به بازی مدار" (based on the edition of Khaleqi-Motlagh), the first hemistich should be edited as "نخستین فکرت، ...
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In this well-known verse from the prologue of the Shahnameh, regarding the stature of humankind, "نخستینت فکرت، پسینت شمار/ تو مر خویشتن را به بازی مدار" (based on the edition of Khaleqi-Motlagh), the first hemistich should be edited as "نخستین فکرت، پسین شمار" rather than "نخستین فطرت، پسین شمار" or other variations, for several reasons and supporting evidence:1. According to the rule, "Which variant can be transformed into the other?", "نخستین فکرت" could easily transform into "نخستین فطرت," but the reverse is far less likely; 2. The variant "نخستین فکرت" appears in earlier manuscripts of the Shahnameh; 3. The earliest recorded instance linking the hemistich "نخستین فکرت پسین شمار" to the phrase " اوّلُ الفکرِ آخرُ العمل" is found in Mullah Hossein Wa'ez Kashifi’s Lubb al-Lubab Masnavi.4. Important secondary sources, such as Ikhtiyarat-e Shahnameh, early manuscripts of Fara’id al-Suluk, and the manuscript of 689 AH of Tabserat al-Muhtadi wa Tazkerat al-Montaha, support this reading.5. The manuscript of the Shahnameh used by Nezami Ganjavi likely contained the same variant, "نخستین فکرت پسین شمار.”6. Both before and after Ferdowsi, philosophers and writers have drawn attention to the relationship between "اوّلُ الفکرِ آخرُ العمل" and the nature of humanity and its creation. The meaning of "نخستین فکرت پسین شمار" is as follows: O human, you are the first being that God considered in the act of creation, yet in the order and process of creation, you were brought into existence last.
hamidreza ardestani rostami
Abstract
Folk and oral narratives associated with epic literature, particularly the Shahnameh, have evolved as an extension of the Shahnameh-writing tradition. These narratives constitute significant sources that contribute to the understanding and resolution of complexities within formal epic literature. The ...
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Folk and oral narratives associated with epic literature, particularly the Shahnameh, have evolved as an extension of the Shahnameh-writing tradition. These narratives constitute significant sources that contribute to the understanding and resolution of complexities within formal epic literature. The late Abolqasem Enjavi Shirazi previously compiled and published these narratives in a three-volume set. One of the notable features observed in these narratives is the fabrication of reasons for certain events depicted in the Shahnameh. This study, employing a descriptive-analytical method, aims to present the reasons given for events in folk narratives and analyze them in comparison with the Shahnameh. The findings indicate that many of these events either have no stated reason in the Shahnameh (such as the reason behind the fragrant citron in Rostam’s hand or the motivation behind the composition of the Rostam and Esfandiar story) or, if a reason is provided, it differs from what appears in folk narratives (such as the reason for Zahhak being bound to the mountain, the enmity of Salm and Tur toward Iraj, and others). In these narratives, storytellers, influenced by popular perspectives, construct folk-based reasons for events. Notably, in many cases—such as the enmity of Salm and Tur toward Iraj, the whiteness of Zal’s hair and complexion, the battle between Kok-e Kūhzād and Zal, the hostility between Kay Kavus and Rostam, and Siyavash’s journey to Zabol— a woman is portrayed as the primary catalyst for these occurrences.
Abstract
More than a thousand years have passed since Rudaki, the great Persian poet, rendered Kalila and Dimna into verse during the Samanid era. Unfortunately, only a small number of scattered verses from this invaluable work have survived. The remnants of this poetic adaptation exist as dispersed verses recorded ...
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More than a thousand years have passed since Rudaki, the great Persian poet, rendered Kalila and Dimna into verse during the Samanid era. Unfortunately, only a small number of scattered verses from this invaluable work have survived. The remnants of this poetic adaptation exist as dispersed verses recorded in various literary and historical texts, as well as poetic lexicons. Based on this limited corpus of surviving verses, alongside weak contextual clues and uncertain hypotheses, some scholars—and before them, an Orientalist—have suggested that Rudaki versified only a portion of Kalila and Dimna.The present study seeks to critically examine this claim and, by drawing on available sources and evidence, argue that Rudaki in fact rendered the entire Kalila and Dimna into verse. Furthermore, this study highlights the high regard in which Rudaki was held for this remarkable achievement in his time, as well as the widespread fame he attained throughout the Persian-speaking world of that era due to his poetic rendition of this esteemed text.
Abstract
This paper surveys the legends of the foundation of Khotan. Khotan-Saka's were one of the Iranian tribes, which settled in Tarim Basin, an area in today’s Xin Jian province in western China. Chinese resources in the second BCE mentioned these new comers. Nevertheless, these resources did not add ...
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This paper surveys the legends of the foundation of Khotan. Khotan-Saka's were one of the Iranian tribes, which settled in Tarim Basin, an area in today’s Xin Jian province in western China. Chinese resources in the second BCE mentioned these new comers. Nevertheless, these resources did not add any details about Khotanese. However, the next resources contains some legends about the first king of Khotan and the extraordinary birth of him. Since all of these narratives belong to the period, which Khotanese converted to Buddhism, they were under influence of Buddhism but one can finds important hints about their believes, gods and their myths. Therefore, this paper, on one hand, surveys these legends and on the other hand studies those gods and their names. This paper concluded that the legend of the birth of the first king of Khotan is similar to the Saka's first king, which Herodotus mentioned; and the Khotanese god’s names give us information about their religious' believes. Moreover, this paper found some interesting similarities between these religious' believes and a couple of verses in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, which mentioned in the Rostam’s stories, the famous Saka hero, who is one of the most important characters of Shahname.
Abstract
Various theories have been proposed regarding the differences between the two mythical dynasties of the Pishdādians and the Kayanids, as well as the reasons for their separation. At first glance, given the genealogical connection between the Kayanid and Pishdādian kings, such a division may appear ...
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Various theories have been proposed regarding the differences between the two mythical dynasties of the Pishdādians and the Kayanids, as well as the reasons for their separation. At first glance, given the genealogical connection between the Kayanid and Pishdādian kings, such a division may appear redundant. Even those Iranian mythologists who argue that the Kayanid kings were less endowed with mythical attributes compared to the Pishdādian rulers have, in practice, acknowledged that most Kayanid kings do indeed possess mythical qualities, and thus have failed to present conclusive evidence to support their claim. It seems that the primary reason for the distinction between these two groups of Iranian mythical kings lies in their differing roles: the Pishdādian kings independently embodied both the functions of kingship and heroism, whereas the Kayanid rulers retained the function of kingship for themselves and delegated the heroic function to champions such as Garshāsp, Zāl, and Rostam.
Milad Ja'farpoor
Abstract
The term of story elements refers to a set of formal or content components, features and details, that the combination of them which forms the basis of the authorship of the narrative, and through their methodical combination, the narrator can give objectivity to his general plan and mental concept, ...
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The term of story elements refers to a set of formal or content components, features and details, that the combination of them which forms the basis of the authorship of the narrative, and through their methodical combination, the narrator can give objectivity to his general plan and mental concept, And on the other hand, it will keep the audience informed about the events in a favorable way, and success in achieving this connection will be considered as an introduction to the attractiveness of the narrative. Piltan-Nāmeh is one of the unknown prose epics of Persian literature, which was written by Abd-Al-Raḥmān Marāḡī. The present research is based on the only remaining privileged manuscript of Piltan-Nāmeh which was written in 972 A.H. tries for the first time to introduce and evaluate the fictional elements of Piltan-Nāmeh, to introduce the vague features and hidden privileges of this prose epic. The present research was conducted by inductive method and is organized in two parts. In the first part, after the introduction, the characteristics of the Piltan-Nāmeh’s manuscript, the storyteller, the time and origin of the narrative were introduced, and after presenting the summary of the story, in the second part, the narrative elements of the Piltan-Nāmeh were introduced. It has been evaluated in seven sections: plot, description, theme, narration, point of view, time and place, and character.
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